Mountain hunt for ex-LAPD cop enters 4th day

By TAMI ABDOLLAH, Associated Press
| 12:44 a.m.Feb. 10, 2013

A San Bernardino County Sheriff SWAT team returns to the command post at Bear Mountain near Big Bear Lake, Calif. after searching for Christopher Jordan Dorner on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Search conditions have been hampered by a heavy winter storm in the area. Dorner, a former Los Angeles police officer, is accused of carrying out a killing spree because he felt he was unfairly fired from his job. (AP Photo/Pool, The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Will Lester)
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A San Bernardino County Sheriff SWAT team returns to the command post at Bear Mountain near Big Bear Lake, Calif. after searching for Christopher Jordan Dorner on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Search conditions have been hampered by a heavy winter storm in the area. Dorner, a former Los Angeles police officer, is accused of carrying out a killing spree because he felt he was unfairly fired from his job. (AP Photo/Pool, The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Will Lester)
/ AP

ADDS DATE VIDEO WAS TAKEN - This image provided by the Irvine Police Department shows Christopher Dorner from Jan. 28, 2013 surveillance video at an Orange County, Calif., hotel. More than 100 officers, including SWAT teams, were driven in glass-enclosed snow machines and armored personnel carriers in Big Bear Lake to hunt for this former Los Angeles police officer suspected of going on a deadly rampage to get back at those he blamed for ending his police career. (AP Photo/Irvine Police Department)— AP

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ADDS DATE VIDEO WAS TAKEN - This image provided by the Irvine Police Department shows Christopher Dorner from Jan. 28, 2013 surveillance video at an Orange County, Calif., hotel. More than 100 officers, including SWAT teams, were driven in glass-enclosed snow machines and armored personnel carriers in Big Bear Lake to hunt for this former Los Angeles police officer suspected of going on a deadly rampage to get back at those he blamed for ending his police career. (AP Photo/Irvine Police Department)
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A digital billboard along Santa Monica Boulevard on the west side of Los Angeles shows a "wanted" alert for former Los Angeles police officer Christopher Dorner Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Dorner is suspected in a spree of violence as part of a vendetta against law enforcement after being fired by the department. He is also a suspect in the shooting deaths of a former LAPD captain's daughter and her fiance, and two other shootings that left an officer dead and two others wounded. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)— AP

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A digital billboard along Santa Monica Boulevard on the west side of Los Angeles shows a "wanted" alert for former Los Angeles police officer Christopher Dorner Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Dorner is suspected in a spree of violence as part of a vendetta against law enforcement after being fired by the department. He is also a suspect in the shooting deaths of a former LAPD captain's daughter and her fiance, and two other shootings that left an officer dead and two others wounded. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
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California Highway Patrol officers search a vehicle for former Los Angeles police officer Christopher Dorner at a checkpoint near Big Bear Lake, Calif, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Law enforcement officers working in falling snow searched the Southern California mountain for Dorner, who is accused of carrying out a killing spree because he felt he was unfairly fired from his job. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)— AP

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California Highway Patrol officers search a vehicle for former Los Angeles police officer Christopher Dorner at a checkpoint near Big Bear Lake, Calif, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Law enforcement officers working in falling snow searched the Southern California mountain for Dorner, who is accused of carrying out a killing spree because he felt he was unfairly fired from his job. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
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Police investigators take away evidence from the home of the mother of fugitive suspect former Los Angeles police officer Christopher Dorner, in La Palma, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Police agencies have launched a massive manhunt for Dorner, who is suspected of killing a couple over the weekend and opening fire on four officers early Thursday, killing one and critically wounding another, authorities said. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)— AP

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Police investigators take away evidence from the home of the mother of fugitive suspect former Los Angeles police officer Christopher Dorner, in La Palma, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Police agencies have launched a massive manhunt for Dorner, who is suspected of killing a couple over the weekend and opening fire on four officers early Thursday, killing one and critically wounding another, authorities said. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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Law enforcement officials gather to discuss plans to resume the search for fugitive Christopher Dorner, Saturday Feb. 9, 2013 near Big Bear, Calif. More than 100 law enforcement officers, some in armored personnel carriers, hunted Saturday for the former Los Angeles police officer suspected of going on a deadly rampage this week to get back at those he blamed for ending his police career. (AP Photo/Tami Abdollah)— AP

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Law enforcement officials gather to discuss plans to resume the search for fugitive Christopher Dorner, Saturday Feb. 9, 2013 near Big Bear, Calif. More than 100 law enforcement officers, some in armored personnel carriers, hunted Saturday for the former Los Angeles police officer suspected of going on a deadly rampage this week to get back at those he blamed for ending his police career. (AP Photo/Tami Abdollah)
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San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies board a snow cat at the command post in Big Bear Lake, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013. Clear skies allowed aircraft with heat-sensing technology to aid scores of officers searching in the snow-covered San Bernardino Mountains for Christopher Dorner, the former Los Angeles police officer suspected of killing three people in a vengeance-fueled rampage aimed at those he blames for ending his career. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)— AP

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San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies board a snow cat at the command post in Big Bear Lake, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013. Clear skies allowed aircraft with heat-sensing technology to aid scores of officers searching in the snow-covered San Bernardino Mountains for Christopher Dorner, the former Los Angeles police officer suspected of killing three people in a vengeance-fueled rampage aimed at those he blames for ending his career. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
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A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department helicopter becomes airborne to resume the search for fugitive Christopher Dorner Saturday Feb. 9, 2013 near Big Bear, Calif. The aerial search was suspended Friday due to heavy snowfall. More than 100 law enforcement officers, some in armored personnel carriers, hunted Saturday for the former Los Angeles police officer suspected of going on a deadly rampage this week to get back at those he blamed for ending his police career. (AP Photo/Tami Abdollah)— AP

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A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department helicopter becomes airborne to resume the search for fugitive Christopher Dorner Saturday Feb. 9, 2013 near Big Bear, Calif. The aerial search was suspended Friday due to heavy snowfall. More than 100 law enforcement officers, some in armored personnel carriers, hunted Saturday for the former Los Angeles police officer suspected of going on a deadly rampage this week to get back at those he blamed for ending his police career. (AP Photo/Tami Abdollah)
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San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies gather at the command post in Big Bear Lake, Calif, Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013. Clear skies allowed aircraft with heat-sensing technology to aid scores of officers searching in the snow-covered San Bernardino Mountains for Christopher Dorner, the former Los Angeles police officer suspected of killing three people in a vengeance-fueled rampage aimed at those he blames for ending his career. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)— AP

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San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies gather at the command post in Big Bear Lake, Calif, Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013. Clear skies allowed aircraft with heat-sensing technology to aid scores of officers searching in the snow-covered San Bernardino Mountains for Christopher Dorner, the former Los Angeles police officer suspected of killing three people in a vengeance-fueled rampage aimed at those he blames for ending his career. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
/ AP

BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. 
SWAT teams with air support and bloodhounds fanned out again Sunday in snow-covered mountains, searching for a former Los Angeles police officer suspected in three killings.

Authorities planned a 1 p.m. news conference in downtown Los Angeles to announce a reward for information leading to the arrest of Christopher Dorner, who has vowed revenge against several former LAPD colleagues whom he blames for ending his career.

On Saturday Chief Charlie Beck said officials would re-examine the allegations by Dorner, 33, that his law enforcement career was undone by racist colleagues. While he promised to hear out Dorner if he surrenders, Beck stressed that he was ordering a review of his 2007 case because he takes the allegation of racism in his department seriously.

"I do this not to appease a murderer. I do it to reassure the public that their police department is transparent and fair in all the things we do," the chief said in a statement.

Authorities suspect Dorner in a series of attacks in Southern California over the past week that left three people dead. Authorities say he has vowed revenge against several former LAPD colleagues whom he blames for ending his career. The killings and threats that Dorner allegedly made in an online rant have led police to provide protection to 50 families, Beck said.

A captain who was named a target in the manifesto posted on Facebook told the Orange County Register he has not stepped outside his house since he learned of the threat.

"From what I've seen of (Dorner's) actions, he feels he can make allegations for injustice and justify killing people and that's not reasonable," said Capt. Phil Tingirides, who chaired a board that stripped Dorner of his badge. "The end never justifies the means."

On Saturday, the scaled-back search party took advantage of a break from stormy weather to look for Dorner in the San Bernardino mountains, about 80 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, where his burned-out pickup truck was discovered Thursday. Officers went door-to-door to some 600 cabins in the ski resort area.

A law enforcement officer told The Associated Press authorities found weapons in the truck. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because the probe is ongoing.

Investigators have been examining the truck to determine if it broke down or was set ablaze as a diversion. Police say the truck had a broken axle. Investigators are trying to determine whether it was already broken when they found it, or whether it was damaged when it was towed away.

Also, newly released surveillance video showed Dorner tossing several items into a Dumpster behind an auto parts store in National City on Monday. The store's manager told FOX5 in San Diego that an employee found a magazine full of bullets, a military belt and a military helmet. Majid Yahyai said he and the employee took the items across the street to a police station.

On Friday night, authorities served a search warrant and collected evidence from a Buena Park storage unit as part of their investigation. Irvine police Lt. Julia Engen wouldn't elaborate on the nature of the evidence or say who had rented the unit.

Earlier Friday, another warrant was served at a La Palma house belonging to Dorner's mother. Officers collected 10 bags of evidence, including five electronic items.

In his online manifesto, Dorner vowed to use "every bit of small arms training, demolition, ordnance and survival training I've been given" to bring "warfare" to the LAPD and its families.

Dorner served in the Navy, earning a rifle marksman ribbon and a pistol expert medal. He was assigned to a naval undersea warfare unit and various aviation training units, according to military records. He took leave from the LAPD for a six-month deployment to Bahrain in 2006 and 2007.

The flight training that he received in the Navy prompted the Transportation Security Administration to issue an alert, warning the general aviation community to be on the lookout for Dorner. The extent of his potential flying skills wasn't known, the bulletin said.

Feb. 1 was his last day with the Navy and also the day CNN's Anderson Cooper received a package that contained a note on it that read, in part, "I never lied." A coin riddled with bullet holes that former Chief William Bratton gave out as a souvenir was also in the package.

Police said it was a sign of planning by Dorner before the killing began.

On Feb. 3, police say Dorner shot and killed a couple in a parking garage at their condominium in Irvine. The woman was the daughter of a retired police captain who had represented Dorner in the disciplinary proceedings that led to his firing.

Dorner wrote in his manifesto that he believed the retired captain had represented the interests of the department over his.

Hours after authorities identified Dorner as a suspect in the double murder, police believe Dorner shot and grazed an LAPD officer in Corona and then used a rifle to ambush two Riverside police officers early Thursday, killing one and seriously wounding the other.

The crime spree spanned across a wide swath of Southern California, prompting several police agencies, including the FBI and US Marshall Service, to form a joint investigative task force.